Ghost guns are one of the fastest growing threats to gun safety, which is why thousands of our supporters have urged the ATF to take action. These untraceable firearms are showing up at more crime scenes across the country—including in school shootings. And because they can be bought in kit form with no background check and no questions asked, they’ve become a weapon of choice for criminals and gun traffickers.
Myth
The ATF treats ghost guns as they would any other type of gun.
Fact
For years, the ATF looked the other way as companies sold ghost gun kits and unfinished frames or receivers without following the same rules as firearms. Yet the only difference between these ghost gun kits and parts and fully functional firearms is a few tools, a couple of hours of work, and no serial number, background check, or questions asked.
Myth
The ATF and federal government are doing all they can to regulate and stop the proliferation of ghost guns.
Fact
State legislatures carry the burden of regulating the core building blocks of ghost guns, while the ATF stalls on implementing a rule that would stop their proliferation.
Which states regulate ghost guns?
16 states have adopted this policy
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
California has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, background checks for barrels, all ghost guns must be reported to officials, license required to print 3D gun.
Colorado has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers for component parts.
Connecticut has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, all ghost guns must be reported to officials, no plastic undetectable guns.
Delaware has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, no plastic undetectable guns, no 3D printing of guns, no distribution of 3D printing instructions.
Florida has not adopted this policy
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Hawaii has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, all ghost guns must be reported to officials, no 3D printing of guns.
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Illinois has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for all firearms and component parts
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Maine has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for all firearms and component parts
Maryland has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for all firearms and component parts. All ghost guns must be reported to officials.
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for all firearms and component parts. All ghost guns must be reported to officials.
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Montana has not adopted this policy
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Nevada has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
New Jersey has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, all ghost guns must be reported to officials, no 3D printing of guns, no distribution of 3D printing instructions, no plastic undetectable guns.
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
New York has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, all ghost guns must be reported to officials, no plastic undetectable guns.
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Oregon has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Prohibits undetectable firearms, including 3D printed guns; requires all firearms, frames, and receivers to be serialized
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, no 3D printing of guns
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Texas has not adopted this policy
Utah has not adopted this policy
Vermont has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for all firearms and component parts
Virginia has not adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- No plastic undetectable guns
Washington has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Serial numbers and background checks for component parts, no plastic undetectable guns
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
Myth
Homemade ghost guns are primarily for hobbyists.
Fact
Ghost guns are intentionally designed and sold to require as little technical expertise, time, and effort as possible to assemble, unlike home-built firearms made by true hobbyists. And they are predictably emerging as a weapon of choice for criminals, white supremacists, and other people legally prohibited from buying guns.
Recent Ghost Guns Progress
VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Bill Prohibiting Ghost Guns Will Become Law Following Tireless Advocacy by Maryland Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Volunteers
The Maryland chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement in…
Moms Demand Action Volunteers, Gun Violence Survivors Stand With Governor Jay Inslee As He Signs Three Gun Safety Bills Into Law
Today, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed three gun safety bills into law — HB 1705, legislation prohibiting ghost guns; HB 1630, legislation prohibiting firearms in…
Kansas Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Prohibit Ghost Guns After Shooting at Olathe East High School – Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Applaud Swift Commitment to Gun Safety
The Bill Introduction Comes After Reports Showing that the Firearm Used in the Recent Shooting at Olathe East High School which Left Three Wounded Involved…
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